The Dare
by Wandering Fox
Summary: I wrote this for a challenge at Marauding Mayhem. Sirius and Lupin tell Harry a story about one of Sirius' less brilliant moments of his Hogwarts days.


Disclaimer: Harry Potter is the property of JK Rowling. This story is for entertainment only and not for any profit.

**The Dare**

By Wandering Fox

---

"James' old cloak," Sirius said quietly, running his hands over the shimmering fabric. "I didn't know you had it, Harry."

"I've had it for ages," he replied. "Since first year."

"Really?" He looked over at Lupin. "Do you remember some of the things we got away with in this thing, Moony?"

"I'd rather forget some of them," Lupin replied with a smile.

"We sneaked all over that old castle. We found things lost for generations. We--well, that's how we made the map."

"And we got in trouble," Lupin added. "Remember when James got his foot caught in that gargoyle's mouth? Filch couldn't imagine how he had gotten up there!"

"The worst was when I was caught by McGonagall," Sirius said, his smile going a bit pained, as if remembering one of those things that you say you're going to laugh at twenty years down the road.

Lupin's reaction was instantaneous. He tried to choke back the laughter and failed, nearly toppling from the chair.

"What happened?" Harry asked. "How did McGonagall catch you?"

"Tell him," said Lupin, rubbing his eyes. "You always told it so well."

Sirius sighed and leaned back, his hand still trailing over the cloak. "Well, one night in the dead of winter, James and Remus and Peter and I were up in our dorm, talking about nothing in particular. You know how conversations like that are. It's late. You're hopped up on chocolate and jelly beans, and your brain isn't working so well."

"Like it ever was working well in your case," said Lupin.

"We were watching the snow fall, and Remus here said something about how he hated walking through it in bare feet...which had happened a few times due to his condition. At that point, the rest of us were still working on our animagus forms, and James said he didn't see what the big deal was. He could walk through the snow in bare feet.

"Remus here, ever the calm and rational voice of reason, says, 'Oh yeah? Prove it!' And we all tumble down under the cloak to one of the side doors. James kicks off his shoes and runs out into the snow. He was really something. But now we're all looking at him, and that's no good for me, so I say that isn't such a big deal.

"He comes up shivering and grinning, and says 'Oh it isn't? I dare you to get out there _naked_!'"

Harry's eyes went huge. "You didn't!"

"Harry, my reputation was at stake. So I say, 'What will you give me if I do?'

"'A month's worth of chocolate," he replies. "Go ahead. I _dare_ you.'

"So I agree, but then I realize my three best friends will be staring at my naked...well, everything...so I ask for the cloak. James says I can have it, but I have to give him all my clothes to prove I am completely bare, and once I'm out in the snow, I have to take it off for a ten count. I agree to his terms, throw the cloak around my shoulders, and toss him all my clothes. Then I run out into the snow. Bloody cold, it was. I run out where the light is dim, toss off the cloak, and start counting to ten. For the first five counts, my dearest friends cheered me on. On the sixth, there was a low murmur, on the eighth, a click."

"The door?" Harry asked knowingly.

"Indeed it was. I had been left standing naked in the snow. I stared in disbelief for a few moments, then snatched up the cloak and ran to the door. Locked! James had convinced Remus and Peter that it would be jolly good fun if they locked me out naked."

"Well, besides the cloak," added Lupin, as if that made up for everything.

"Which was my only salvation. It wasn't very warm, but it was better than nothing. I instantly began searching the castle walls for another entrance. Finally I found it, a window only on the second level, that looked like it wasn't securely latched, and alongside some rough stones and ivy. I began the laborious climb through the howling wind towards the window...have you ever climbed a stone wall naked in a snowstorm, Harry?"

"Can't say that I have."

"Well let me tell you how very unpleasant it is. I'm sure you can imagine."

"I'd rather not," Harry replied, rubbing his head as Lupin chuckled.

"I climbed and I climbed, and finally came to the window. I reached out, and pried it open, and slid through--slid through mind you--over the ledge--_naked_."

"Ow," said Harry.

"To put it mildly. I tumble down into a heap, pull the cloak around me, and peer quickly around. I see a door on the other side of the room, and I make for it. I get there, reach up, pull back the latch, and open the door. That's when the screaming starts."

"McGonagall?" Harry asked.

"McGonagall scream? Heavens, no! No, it was the current professor of Defense against the Dark Arts...oh, what was his name, Moony?"

"Ah...Miffins, I think."

"He? Was screaming?"

"Like a little girl. I leap up, bolt out, and take off at top speed...right into open air. Seems I hadn't realized how very close I was to the third floor landing. I fall half a floor, then land on the stairs, and roll the rest of the way down, losing the cloak halfway. I land with my behind in the air, a salute to all the portraits and a very startled Minerva McGonagall. She had just been coming up. I missed smashing into her by centimeters."

Harry couldn't help but laugh, falling backwards onto his elbows. "How mad was she?"

"Enraged beyond the capacity for speech. It's truly a wonder I got away as unscathed as I did."

"How did you get away?"

"Well, I was caught then. My only goal at that point was to get to the cloak before she or anyone else found it. So I leaped up, pointed behind her--with my finger, I should add--and yelled, 'He went that way!' She actually looked over her shoulder--I think she was glad to look over her shoulder--and I turned and ran back up the stairs, snatched up the cloak, threw it around me as soon as I knew I was out of sight, and didn't stop running until I was safely inside my dormitory, soundly pounding the pudding out of dear James Potter. I scrubbed floors for a month for that stunt, but I had all the chocolate I could eat in the meantime."

Harry shook his head. "Unbelievable!"

"Believe it," said Lupin. "Sadly, I was there as a witness."

Sirius laughed and tossed Harry the cloak. "There you are then, Harry. Take good care of it."

"I will," he said, standing. "But I really wish I had heard that story before."

"Why?" Lupin asked, his smile slipping a moment.

"Well, if I had known, I would have had it laundered first thing when I got it." He flashed them both a grin as he walked out.

There was a startled silence behind him for a moment, and then gales of merry laughter flowed out into the hall.


End file.
